Hassanizadeh SM ,
Giessen GM van der ,
Holtman H ,
Mollema PN
56 p
in Dutch
1994
Toon Nederlands
English Abstract This report presents the results of the RIVM study for
the INTRAVAL testcase WIPP. This testcase is based on experiments carried
out in the rocksalt formation in the underground facility near Carlsbad, New
Mexico, USA. Some of these experiments study the movement of brine in
rocksalt under prevailing underground conditions and as a result of an
increase in temperature. In brine inflow experiments, the inflow of brine
in an open well is measured as a function of time. In pressure build-up
experiments, wells with a radius of 10 cm are filled with brine and sealed.
The pressure in the brine will than increase as a function of time due to
the inflow of brine. This pressure is measured in compartments of the
borehole which are sealed by packers. The computer code METROPOL-2 has been
used to simulate these experiments. Results of these calculations are
compared with the measurements. From the results it can be concluded that
the movement of brine in rock salt under the influence of pressure gradients
can be described by Darcy's law. However, changes of hydrological
parameters such as permeability and porosity of the rock salt due to
deformation of the rock salt requires the coupling of a flow model with a
rock mechanical model.
